Soaring Through the Solar System

1
Soaring Through the Solar System

• Christopher Jahn
• Jessica Livingston
• Sarah Moore
• Kimberly Sprouse

2
6TH Grade Science TEKS

• (13)  Science concepts. The student knows
  components of our solar system. The student is
  expected to
• (A)  identify characteristics of objects in our
  solar system including the Sun, planets,
  meteorites, comets, asteroids, and moons and
• (B)  describe types of equipment and
  transportation needed for space travel.

3
Day 1 Introduction

• To introduce the Solar System Unit to the class,
  we will bring pictures and magazines related to
  the solar system and space travel. Students will
  cut out pictures, draw pictures, or print out
  pictures (if they have computer access). We will
  have a bulletin board with paper, border, and the
  title (Soaring through the Solar System) already
  set up. Each class will cut out pictures and
  hang them on the bulletin board. Then we will
  tell students about our new unit and have a short
  class discussion about the solar system.
• We will then fill out a K-W-L chart. Students
  will be responsible for keeping a Space Journal
  throughout the unit in their science notebook.
  For day 1, they will need to copy the K-W-L
  chart.

4
Day 2 The Sun

• On the board we will write the question What is
  the center of our solar system and what do you
  know about it? Students will write in their
  journals for 2-3 min.
• We will discuss the sun, its properties, history,
  and effects.
• Students will use computers (if available in
  room) or go to the computer lab to complete the
  webquest (http//www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest
  /Mountain/4240/scientist) and record their
  answers in their journal.

5
Day 3 The Earth

• Journal question for the earth will be What do
  you know about the earth and how it interacts
  with our solar system.
• Then we will show a globe and talk about the
  earths tilt, rotation, orbit, and position in
  solar system. Ask Why does a day have 24 hours
  and a year have 365 days, and what causes
  seasons? Show either poster or presentation of
  earths rotation and orbit.
• Have students draw a representation of the
  earths rotation and orbit in their journal.

6
Day 4 The Moon

• Journal question for the moon will be What are
  some features of the moon? Then we will show
  several different pictures of the moon and ask
  why the moon looks different.
• Then we will talk about the different phases and
  what causes solar and lunar eclipses. We will
  use a globe, tennis ball, and flash light to
  demonstrate solar and lunar eclipses.
• The students will then be divided into groups and
  given a poster board where they will have to draw
  and label the different phases of the moon.

7
Day 5 Planets

• Journal question will be Write the names of as
  many planets as you can and anything you know
  about each planet. Then we will discuss each
  planets location and orbit in the solar system
  and take the class out to the football field and
  pick 9 students to be the planets.

8
Day 5 cont.

• Mercury stands just shy of the one yard
  line.
• Venus stands halfway between the first and
  second yd. line.
• Earth stands on the second yard line.
• Mars stands on the third yard line.
• Jupiter stands halfway between the ten and
  eleven yd. line.
• Saturn stands on the nineteenth yard line.
• Uranus stands on the thirty-ninth yard line.
• Neptune stands on the sixtieth yard line.
• Pluto stands on the seventy-ninth yard line.
• When we get back to class, students will draw a
  representation of the planets locations in their
  journal and label each planet. If there is time
  left, we can start on the experiments

9
Day 6 Planets

• We will discuss differences in the planets such
  as temperature, physical properties, location,
  moons, orbit, and anything interesting about each
  planet. We will choose 3-4 (as many as time
  allows) of the experiments from the following
  website and demonstrate them for the class.
  (http//science.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/msad16m
  ar99_1a.htm)
• Then students can answer questions in their
  journal about the planets from a worksheet. This
  will be completed for homework.

10
Day 7 Comets

• We will introduce comets by showing pictures,
  websites, or posters (whichever we have
  available) and discussing characteristics of
  comets such as their interaction in the universe
  and their physical characteristics. Then we will
  allow students to make their own comets.
• http//amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorati
  ons/comets/teacher/lessonplan.html
• http//www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/activities/A_
  Paper_Comet.html
• Then in their journals, students will answer the
  questions we have on the board about comets and
  draw and label a picture of a comet.

11
Day 8 Asteroids and Meteorites

• We will show the video and pictures from the
  website to introduce asteroids and meteorites and
  discuss their characteristics. http//www.thursday
  sclassroom.com/27jul01/pdf/ast27jul_1.pdf
• Students will be given copies of the article from
  the website and a copy of the worksheet
  http//www.thursdaysclassroom.com/27jul01/question
  s.html to complete.

12
Day 9 Stars

• We will have students answer in their journals
  What are stars and some characteristics of
  them?
• We will discuss characteristics of stars. We
  will ask them if they know what the big dipper is
  and then explain constellations and asterisms.
• We will show them star charts and how they are
  used. Each student will be given a copy of the
  star chart and instructed to look at the stars at
  night and highlight any constellations they see
  on their chart.

13
Day 10 Space Travel

• Students will answer in their journals What do
  you think it would be like to travel in space?
  How would it be different than traveling on
  Earth?
• Then we will show pictures from Kennedy Space
  Center. We will discuss what it would be like to
  travel in space, what types of equipment are
  used, and how space travel is beneficial to our
  society.
• Students will then construct their own hovercraft
  or spacecraft. http//www.nasa.gov/audience/forkid
  s/activities/A_Tabletop_Hovercraft.html

14
Day 11, 12, and 13 Project(Presented in class)

• Students will work at 1 of the 3 stations each
  day.
• Stations
• Grab Bags read 1 of the stories and complete 2
  of the activities
• NASA Starchild Webquest use the webquest to
  complete the worksheet
• Mobile make a mobile of the solar system
  including important features of each object

15
Day 14 Exam

• Students will be given a unit test over the solar
  system
• Their study guide will be the information that
  they have recorded in their journals and the
  worksheets they have completed
• After the exam, students will be allowed to
  complete their projects from the 3 stations if
  they did not finish.

16
Day 15 Field Trip or Guest Speaker

• If approved, the 6th graders will take a field
  trip to Houston Space Center so they can explore
  more about our solar system.
• If a field trip is not approved, we will try to
  get a guest speaker an employee of NASA or an
  astronomer to give a class presentation.

17
Solar System Summary

• Throughout the unit, students will have explored
  our solar system and space travel through several
  methods.
• Students will be able to meet the TEKS standards
  relating to our solar system and space travel.